The Affordable Care Act gives states the option to expand their Medicaid eligibility to include people who fall below 138% of the federal poverty line. The federal government would cover 90% of the costs of the expansion in Oklahoma with an estimated $900 million a year. Oklahoma would cover the remaining 10%.

But supporters of expansion at the Capitol on Wednesday expressed optimism that a statewide vote would be successful and go a long way in improving heath outcomes for a state that consistently ranks near the bottom.

Jared Tartsah from Norman is at the Medicaid rally to remind people that IHS is not health insurance. He’s going to sign the ballot petition to expand at the rally. ⁦@jrodlane⁩ pic.twitter.com/0i4dnLjOCK

Ben Felder is an investigative reporter for The Oklahoman. A native of Kansas City, Ben has lived in Oklahoma City since 2010 and covered politics, education and local government for the Oklahoma Gazette before joining The Oklahoman in 2016....
Read more ›